Seaforth Hayes has been nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series” for her portrayal of Julie Olson Williams in the hit NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives. “That felt lovely. I had a nomination two years ago and that felt lovely too, and this one feels even lovelier. It’s great to be included in such an interesting field of nominees. Our show is blessed with 22 nominations, so it’s something to really be proud of,” she said. “I am looking forward to the 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards.”
She is drawn to her character, Julie, due to her “longevity.” “I started the show back in 1968, so the fact that I am still doing the same character, I don’t find limiting but expansive, because she has changed as we all have changed. I still love the show and I still love Salem, and being a vital part of it is still exhilarating,” she said.
In April of 2018, Seaforth Hayes and husband, Bill Hayes, were presented with “Lifetime Achievement” Awards at the 45th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. “That was a grand experience. We were heavily supported by our family who came to California, 65 family members came to be there. That was something I never expected to happen to us, and it was exciting and extremely gratifying. It is nice to have those two statuettes sitting on the piano,” she said.
When asked how she handles being dialogue-heavy on the show, she responded, “It’s amazing what a human being can do when you put a gun to their head and say ‘if you can’t do this, you can’t play anymore.’ You just do it, and it’s amazing. I would look at old shows from time to time and say ‘I have absolutely no memory whatsoever of that speech,’ and yet I was doing it okay. It’s good information in, good information out. You can’t learn it too far ahead. The night before you work, you really grind down on it. You have to.”
“We are fortunate and blessed to be so far ahead. We were shooting eight shows in five days, instead of five shows in five days. We are doing more material than ever for a long time now, and it can be done. It is possible,” she said.
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “It is interesting to be viewed on phones. I am delighted that the show is accessible everywhere and anytime somebody wants to see it since that’s a dream for the audience.”
Regarding her career-defining moments, she said, “When Bill Hayes was added to the cast-list of Days of Our Lives, my character blossomed as a sexual, irresponsible, and interesting woman. Prior to that, I felt she was probably at best an ingenue, and she became everything when our love story started to be told.”
Seaforth Hayes went on to credit the late but great soap opera creator and head writer Willam J. Bell for discovering her mother’s talent as a writer. “William was a huge influence in my life. He gave me a career, he gave my mother a career, and he hired the man who became my husband. I’ve always had huge respect for anybody who writes soap operas because it is almost impossible, but when they get it right, it’s wonderful,” she said.
For young and aspiring actors, she encouraged them to “work at everything all the time.” “Don’t wait for something to come to you. Work hard at everything, learn everything you can, learn how to sing, and dance. Recite Shakespeare, work on your voice, and make sure it’s attractive. Be honest but be audible, so that the audience can hear you,” she said.
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she said, “Feeling the Future.” If she weren’t an actress, she shared that she would have loved to have been a “teacher.”
Regarding the key to longevity in the acting and entertainment industry, she said, “Luck.”
Seaforth Hayes defined the word success simply as “love.”
For her loyal Days of Our Lives fans, she concluded, “Are we still having fun? We are almost beyond four generations of fans. The devoted fans really want to see the show every day, and you gotta love them for that.”
To learn more about Days of Our Lives or to stream the show online, check out the official NBC website.
